Business Security Information

Having worked with small and medium-sized businesses for the past 12 years and being in business myself, I am always looking for sources of security information that will help businesses protect themselves.  Since business owners are often overwhelmed with their day-to-day duties, security is often one of those things that is put on the back-burner until some crime or security incident occurs.  Why is that?  Due to time resources?  Because it is hard to get good information to make the right decision regarding the type of protection you need?  Probably in most instances, if we are honest with ourselves, it is a little of both.  Research is time-consuming but necessary.

While putting gas in our vehicle today, I saw a simple security issue that probably occurs at a lot of businesses as well as gas stations.  This gas station was the typical type you find outside a supermarket or department store–gas pumps with a small structure in the middle for the cashier to handle customer who don’t pay at the pump.  The small cashier structure was bullet-resistant with a portal for customers to pass cash and credit cards safely to the cashier.  The one door to the structure was metal with a regular lock as well as a deadbolt.  I am presuming it was set up this way to prevent thefts and robberies.  In my opinion, the physical security was adequate for the location.

Businesses just like yours spend time, money and energy every day trying to protect their assets from a variety of security issues.  How do you know if you are expending that time, money and energy covering the right security issues?

This month I came across a survey of security directors from a variety of companies that covered the major security issues they face and the cost of security incidents when they did occur.  I will highlight some of that information in this article so you can see the type and cost of a variety of security issues.  You can use this information to evaluate if you are addressing the right security issues in your own business.  Here is the list of security issues based on the highest annual dollar losses to the lowest dollar losses:

A couple of months ago I was having a discussion with a contractor who had thousands of dollars worth of tools and equipment stolen.   I was discussing with him different ways to make improvements to security so that he would be less likely to experience some of the large security losses he had suffered.  One of his comments was that he had a $1000 deductible with his insurance company so he would never spend any more than that to improve security.   I realized then that a lot of businesses really feel that security is just a waste of time and money.  In this short article, I am going to share some of the reasons security should be thought of as an investment and not a waste.

When trying to protect or secure a lot or other area, most businesses fence in the area and secure any opening to the lot with some type of gate. The fencing is usually of the chain link type which does not provide good perimeter security; however, that is not the focus of this article. Right now, I want to focus on how the gate is secured during business hours. Since open gates are necessary for the smooth functioning of the business, I am referring to padlocks used to secure the gate during non-business hours being left open during business hours. If you look at the pictures included in this article, you will see examples of what I mean. In each picture, regardless of whether it is a chain link gate or a swing arm gate, an open padlock is hanging on the gate.

As I travel around and see a variety of businesses I always find security solutions that businesses have developed and implemented themselves.  The pictures in this article show one security solution a business implemented after someone broke into their warehouse.  The pictures show the interior view of one of the doors in the warehouse.  If you look closely, you will see that the business basically took some strips of steel and a cabinet handle and made an interior bar-type lock that they engage during non-business hours.  The steel bars are bolted to the door, and when the handle is turned, the steel bars move into openings that someone cut into the door frame.  This secures the door to the door frame.

Do you use an EAS (electronic article surveillance) system in your retail store?  I know that most of the major retailers use these type of systems.  Actually, I was at a department store the other day, and I noticed, like I have so many times in the past few years, how ineffective they can be.  Let me explain that statement.

Well, I really do learn something new almost every day.  I was reading an article in Forbes magazine  the other day about a robbery prevention technique that I had never heard of before.  I thought I would share it with you in this article.

Greeting a Bank Robber

Some banks are now using greeters, like Wal-Mart does, at the entrance to the bank as a robbery prevention tool.  The theory behind this technique is that most criminals do not want to be noticed.  Supposedly if a bank employee looks the criminal in the eye and says hello when they walk into the bank, the criminal no longer has that psychological edge of anonymity and confidence they need to commit the crime.

A strike plate is a part of a door lock.  It is the metal plate that is attached, usually with screws, to the door jamb (door frame) and has one or more holes that hold the lock bolt when the lock is engaged.  When the door is closed, the lock bolt extends into the hole which then keeps the door closed.  Refer to the picture for a look at a high security strike plate.

Before I start this article, I want to say this is strictly an opinion piece and may not be directly related to the emphasis of this site which is security for small and medium sized businesses.  I do think the basic premise of the article will be relevant to any business, not just a company that has ships on the high seas.